Sabban Property Investments (SPI) has announced the launch of a unique internship program in partnership with UK-based Birmingham City University (BCU), which will involve students in the construction of the Sabban Towers. Six international university students vying for a one-year paid internship in Qatar will put into practice the theory of construction and planning in a 12-day training program at the construction site, where they are expected to gain a broader understanding of the regional property development landscape. After an intensive course in the core areas of construction, real estate and planning development, the two most outstanding students will be awarded the coveted remunerated work placement and join the construction experts working on the project.
The leading Dubai and Qatar based developer invited students from BCU’s Property, Construction and Planning Department to submit their proposals on how they would add value to SPI as an organisation and comment on the booming real estate sector in Qatar, in addition to their study on the culture of the country and their views on sustainable construction and design. Following an intensive selection process, SPI selected the pool of winning students, which include Quantity Surveying majors Andreas Kounass and Imran Salam, and Planning and Development student Rosanna Sterry; in addition to Benedict Gannon, who is in his second year in Real Estate Management; Thomas Nicholls, a Building Surveying scholar; and Michaela Campbell Lynch, who is completing her degree in Architectural Technology.
“This work placement program, which we have undertaken through our partnership with Birmingham City University, is a part of SPI’s Corporate Social Responsibility policy to further our involvement in the development of the education sector by nurturing talent through experience,” said John Browne, MBE, Managing Director, SPI. “As an alumnus of BCU, I can attest to the exemplary academic training, which the selected students have been exposed to on campus, and our goal now is to match their theoretical knowledge with real life professional experience. Through this initiative, we are not only showing real interest in the students’ future but also, looking to the growth of SPI and the industry as a whole.”
SPI’s earlier CSR initiatives in the education sector includes a significant participation as a sponsor at the ‘Be Here Design Now’ competition, an event organised by Virginia Columbia University – Qatar, which awarded four-year scholarship grants to high school students from the Middle East. In addition to involvement in various academic projects, the developer is also an advocate of environmentally-sound processes and is a partner of several distinguished eco-friendly organisations such as the Emirates Environmental Group (EEG), the Emirates Wildlife Society (EWS) and the Emirates Green Building Council (EGBC). Through its strong support for carbon offset projects, across the globe, Sabban Towers is set to become the first Carbon Neutral project in the Middle East.
“This is a brilliant opportunity for students to put theory into practice in an environment where they will experience construction from a truly international prospective. I believe that collaborations of this kind between industry leaders and educational institutions will have tremendous benefits for both students and employers, and will further advance the most important economic sectors today. We are truly pleased to become a part of this partnership with Sabban Property Investments,” said Jean Badman, Head of School, Birmingham City University.
Formerly known as the University of Central England, BCU offers highly specialised property, construction and planning programs under the Faculty of Law, Humanities, Development and Society. In addition, the university also provides outstanding academic courses, which are focused on equipping students for a range of professional careers through its other departments, which include the, Birmingham, Birmingham Conservatoire, Business School, Faculty of Education, Faculty of Health and the Technology Innovation Centre, Birmingham School of Acting.
About Sabban Property Investments (SPI)
Built on solid values that exemplify stability, social orientation, dynamism, personnel relations and commitment to ideals, Sabban Property Investments was established with a vision to lead the field by creating opportunities for people to own their part of the region's prosperity. By building strong bonds with people, SPI aims to claim its share of the promising future of the Gulf region and to contribute to it in a significant and meaningful manner.
In May 2005, Sabban Property Investments (SPI) announced its plan to build three residential towers (the Sabban Towers) on Porto Arabia, the main marina of The Pearl-Qatar, a US $2.5 billion island being reclaimed offshore from the Qatari capital of Doha. This makes SPI one of the first companies to build on the unique development, Qatar's first international freehold real estate venture.
